Light Brush review
A capable free painting app with broad platform support and layered workflows.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Light Brush is a free digital painting application for artists and illustrators who want a broad set of painting and image-editing tools without a paid plan. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and Chromium-based web browsers, giving it a wider platform footprint than a desktop-only painting app. The core toolkit covers customizable brush presets, brush-library import and export, brush and color blending, pen-pressure input, layers with blend modes, masks, selections, transformations, palettes, smoothing, curve assistance, transparency-aware fills, adjustments, filters, and the Spree retouching feature.
Its strongest fit is breadth across lightweight painting workflows. Artists can build layered artwork, use clipping masks, refine selections, apply transformations, and save custom color palettes while working with pressure-sensitive input on supported stylus devices. Brush customization is also more developed than a basic sketching tool, with blending controls and preset-library management. A browser-based manual covers painting tools, brushes, pressure input, masks, selections, and related workflows, which gives new users a reference for the main functions. The web option is specifically tied to Chromium-based browsers, while the broader platform list includes desktop operating systems and Android.
Light Brush suits artists and illustrators who prioritize free access, cross-platform availability, and a practical collection of painting tools. It is less suitable for buyers seeking paid service tiers, team-oriented plan choices, or a narrowly defined professional ecosystem. Pen-pressure functionality also depends on compatible stylus hardware rather than being universal across every device. Choose it for flexible personal painting and illustration work across desktop, mobile, and web environments; consider an alternative when platform-specific requirements, paid-tier options, or specialized workflow needs matter more than full feature access at no charge.
Light Brush pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Full feature access at no charge
- Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and the web
- Includes brushes, layers, masks, selections, and filters
- Where it doesn't
- Web access is limited to Chromium-based browsers
- Pen-pressure input depends on a supported stylus device
- No paid tiers are available for expanded plan options
Light Brush fact sheet, pricing and score →
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